NEWS & ANALYSIS

DA claims regarding Hermanus land protest rejected – ANC WCape

Khaya Magaxa |

28 March 2018

Party says they will never condone populist protests where property is destroyed

ANC rejects DA claims regarding Hermanus land protest

28 March 2018

ANC in the Western Cape rejects as fabrication the DA claims against the ANC and our MPL, Comrade Cameron Dugmore, in an attempt to hide DA failures in Overstrand for over 10 years. The ANC is very clear that all campaigns for land and housing must be conducted in terms of the Constitution and the laws of our country. The ANC condemns land grabs without reservation . We will never condone populist protests where property is destroyed.

The DA must confront their failure to release land for backyarders in Hermanus which has resulted in community wide resentment. Our member Cde Dugmore was deployed to Hermanus yesterday to assist in stabilizing the protest for land and housing which had become violent. His intervention, together with ANC regional and local leaders, Human Rights Commission, Department of Human Settlements and community leaders driving the protest, helped to calm the situation.

In addition to meeting with community leaders, councilors and the MEC for Housing, Cde Dugmore also was part of the delegation which spoke to the mass meeting of protesters at the Zwelihle Stadium.

The meeting, on the suggestion of MPL Dugmore, agreed that a committee consisting of those mandated by the community, the Provincial Department of Human Settlements, National Department of Human Settlements and the local municipality will meet next week to identify the land and those backyarders who qualify for housing.

The message sent to the Provincial Secretary contained the same content which had been made public by cde Dugmore on his facebook page. Dugmore had been called by the Provincial Secretary for an update about the situation. This is the so called evidence being used by the DA for a smear campaign against Dugmore to yet again misdirect people from their enduring failures in the Western Cape. Dugmore's post was released on Monday 26th March. The protest started on Friday 23rd March. Cde Dugmore visited Hermanus on Tuesday 27th March.

As the ANC, we support the content of his post and it clearly indicates that cde Dugmore was deeply concerned about the situation and made proposals as to a campaign to identify land for release.

We as the ANC will continue to lead a disciplined campaign to identify land in all municipalities for integrated human settlements. We will do this peacefully and within the law and our constitution “